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Medical student perceptions and attitudes towards a career in vascular surgery - Comparing pre- and post-pandemic
Lamar Fatani1, Megan Power Foley2, Natalija Lakic1
1School of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Insights
Student interest in vascular surgery remained stable despite the pandemic. Post-pandemic students prioritized work-life balance and enjoyment, highlighting the need for flexible training and early exposure to boost recruitment.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Surgical Specialties
- Public Health
Background:
- Medical student interest in vascular surgery is shaped by clinical exposure, mentorship, lifestyle perceptions, and personality.
- The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted medical training, reducing clinical exposure, mentorship opportunities, and research, while impacting students' views on work-life balance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare pre- and post-pandemic cohorts of Irish medical students regarding factors influencing vascular surgery career decisions.
- To identify modifiable factors for enhancing vascular surgery's appeal to medical students.
- To assess the pandemic's specific effects on career perceptions in vascular surgery.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was administered to medical students at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) during 2017-2018 (pre-pandemic) and 2023-2024 (post-pandemic).
- Questionnaires collected data on demographics, exposure to vascular surgery, career influences, and suggestions for increasing specialty appeal.
- Statistical comparisons were made between pre- and post-pandemic cohorts using SPSS to analyze trends and perceptions.
Main Results:
- Vascular surgery interest remained consistent (48% pre-pandemic vs. 44% post-pandemic).
- Pre-pandemic students valued earning potential, mentorship, and personality traits; post-pandemic students prioritized enjoyment and work-life balance.
- Early clinical exposure was crucial for understanding (p < 0.001), and flexible working hours were the most attractive factor (p < 0.0001).
Conclusions:
- Vascular surgery interest is stable despite pandemic disruptions, with clinical exposure, mentorship, and work-life balance remaining key influences.
- Flexible training, earlier exposure, and structured mentorship are recommended to improve recruitment into vascular surgery.
- Enhanced collaboration between medical schools and surgical faculty is essential for strengthening surgical training pipelines.
Introduction:
Medical students' interest in vascular surgery is influenced by varying factors, including clinical exposure, mentorship, perceived lifestyle and individual personality traits. The disruptions caused by Covid-19 affected clinical attachments, reducing exposure to different specialties and limiting opportunities for mentorship and research. More importantly, it influenced students' attitudes towards work-life balance. This study compared pre- and post-pandemic cohorts of Irish medical students to identify modifiable factors influencing vascular surgery career decisions and assess pandemic-related effects.
Methods:
A cross-sectional survey was conducted at Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) School of Medicine during the 2017-2018 (pre-pandemic) and 2023-2024 (post-pandemic) academic years. Questionnaires were distributed via lectures, email, student societies and social media. Data collected included demographics, exposure to vascular surgery, career influences, and suggestions to increase the specialty's appeal for students. Overall trends in students' perceptions were noted and responses were compared between pre- and post-pandemic cohorts using SPSS.
Results:
Of 350 respondents, 236 were pre-pandemic and 114 post-pandemic. The latter group was older, more often postgraduate entrants, in senior clinical years, and from international backgrounds. Interest in vascular surgery remained unchanged (48 % vs 44 %, p = 0.451). The main shift was that pre-pandemic students were more influenced by earning potential, mentorship, and personality traits, whereas post-pandemic students placed greater emphasis on enjoyment and work-life balance. Early clinical exposure was identified as key to enhancing understanding (p < 0.001), while flexible working hours were the top factor in making a specialty attractive (p < 0.0001). Senior students and those from North America were less likely to consider vascular surgery (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
Despite pandemic-related disruptions, interest in vascular surgery remained stable. Clinical exposure, mentorship, and work-life balance continue to be central influences. Flexible training, earlier exposure, and structured mentorship could strengthen recruitment, with emphasis on reinforcing collaboration between medical schools and surgical faculty.
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